SEC Tourney Venue

#1
LAVol1

LAVol1

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#1
Hoover Met is a horrible venue for baseball. The field is cookie-cutter and just sux. It's too big. I would wager it's by far larger than any field in the SEC. It makes games less interesting, somewhat boring. They need to move it to Regions Field in B'Ham--a great baseball venue.
 
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#4
#4
I get why it's there.

But, a large part of me hates the fact that it feels like everything is in Alabama. I have always been a big believer that league championships should rotate except for football.

And there are plenty of quality minor league stadiums all across the south.
 
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#6
#6
preacherman20 said:
Have y’all been that think it should rotate? I doubt there is a player or coach in the SEC that thinks it should go anywhere else.
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I’ve been there multiple times, previous staff too. What they’ve built there is fantastic. We hear multi use, all the time, but it truly is.

To address @99gator ’s point…Atlanta gets football, Destin gets the Coach’s meetings, happens every year. The infrastructure in place for events, these cities work hard to be good hosts and they earn the rewards by being consistent. Ya can’t just take it away. Just my opinion.

Congrats on the Walk off!
 
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#8
#8
vol66 said:
I’ve been there multiple times, previous staff too. What they’ve built there is fantastic. We hear multi use, all the time, but it truly is.

To address @99gator ’s point…Atlanta gets football, Destin gets the Coach’s meetings, happens every year. The infrastructure in place for events, these cities work hard to be good hosts and they earn the rewards by being consistent. Ya can’t just take it away. Just my opinion.

Congrats on the Walk off!
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I'll admit I haven't been there. I've heard it is indeed a well run event. In addition, it's an event that I really don't care if my school wins because my focus is on NCAA play and I consider the true conference title to be the regular season champ.

I'm probably still bitter about the first SEC title games being in Birmingham.
 
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#9
#9
99gator said:
I'll admit I haven't been there. I've heard it is indeed a well run event. In addition, it's an event that I really don't care if my school wins because my focus is on NCAA play and I consider the true conference title to be the regular season champ.

I'm probably still bitter about the first SEC title games being in Birmingham.
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Well, you’re in a bit different position than we are my friend. I think Sully has been there 21 years and you guys have enjoyed a lot of post season success. We have not. I get where you’re coming from, it’s just seeding to you guys and your lot is usually sealed by now.
 
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#10
#10
99gator said:
I'll admit I haven't been there. I've heard it is indeed a well run event. In addition, it's an event that I really don't care if my school wins because my focus is on NCAA play and I consider the true conference title to be the regular season champ.

I'm probably still bitter about the first SEC title games being in Birmingham.
Click to expand...

If you can watch that game last night against Bama and “really don’t care if my school wins,” ……..I get what you are saying but once the games start I REALLY want my school to win.
 
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#11
#11
preacherman20 said:
Have y’all been that think it should rotate? I doubt there is a player or coach in the SEC that thinks it should go anywhere else.
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Just curious, what makes it such a well run event? Both from a fans and players/coaches perspective? I’m not disagreeing but just curious as to what makes Hoover Met so special?
 
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#14
#14
taylorvol said:
Again, I ask what makes the Hoover Met so special? 🍊😀😃👊🍊
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I’ve never been myself. Just something I’d found earlier this week. The Met is a minor league ballpark the Barons used to play in. It’s the city’s claim to fame. I am fine with it being played there annually.
 
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#15
#15
LAVol1 said:
Hoover Met is a horrible venue for baseball. The field is cookie-cutter and just sux. It's too big. I would wager it's by far larger than any field in the SEC. It makes games less interesting, somewhat boring. They need to move it to Regions Field in B'Ham--a great baseball venue.
Click to expand...

I have been to the stadium plenty when I lived there in the early 90s. The stadium is nice and I'm sure the city does a good job, but I don't believe that's the only city/venue that could do a great job. I now live near Memphis, and once we bring in OK/TX, we're going to have fans so far away, I believe it's a bit unfair to require such a trek just to watch a tourney. I would love to attend, but traveling to Birmingham for a week just is just not reasonable for me. If it rotated, many more fans could experience the event more often.
 
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#16
#16
I'll go Hoover v. Birmingham argument

There's way more hotels and restaurants near the Met. The Regions side of Birmingham is still way too underdeveloped. You have to go toward the BJCC for hotels and the main one is (Sheraton) is closed rn for renovation due to a plumbing burst/flooding. Restaurants are almost non-existent down there. Parking can also be a nightmare. Poor planning on the part of Birmingham.

Way too much crime. Birmingham is Top 10 per capita annually in homicides. Hoover don't play that crap, at all. Regions is less than a mile from one of the roughest parts of town to the north and west. While the stadium is nice, there's nothing else around it. You're lucky if Good People brewery has more than one food truck. Otherwise, the solo food truck that hovers at the brewery can't handle the any crowds. Hero's donuts has good food but its tiny. That's about it.

The Met field may be bigger than most college fields, but the venue is actually not bad. There are also plans to keep expanding the venue and the surrounding area as that area is where a lot of the Hoover revenue is currently going. So in the next few years, there will be even more.

TONS of parking around the Met. The road in and out is well maintained and flows well. Parking in downtown Birmingham is a PITA. Park where you dare. Don't leave anything visible unless you want your window smashed in. The roads downtown are ok.
 
#17
#17
I'm a believer that no one should go to Alabama for any reason.

Lived there.
Had more car stolen in 1997 for the Alabama game at Legionnaires Disease Stadium as I was trying to get the hell out.
Don't like Alabamans
Don't like Alabama
The SEC goes out of their way to make life as comfortable for UA as they can

Personally, I think the time for conference tourneys has passed.
With a 16 team conference it becomes even more non-sensical.

I don't care how well "Hoover" does, it's still Alabama

I have similar thoughts about the Softball World Series in Oklahoma City being dominated by Oklahoma teams
Omaha accidently works for CWS because the schools in that area suck at baseball.

If the SEC tournament can't be rotated, then it needs to just go away.
 
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#18
#18
Let me say why it works from a player's point of view. They have a great hotel setup right next to the mall. All the top 8 teams get to stay in the same hotel which allows them to see each other and build relationships that will surpass their college years. They actually had a game competition in the gameroom on Monday night with various teams facing off, impromptu, in air hockey, basketball shootout, and other games. Before anyone says it these guys have the ability to turn it on and off between the lines and outside the lines. The police escort from hotel to stadium and back is pretty epic to watch and be a part of. Plenty of food for the players to walk to. Some of you think they have team meals but that is not the case. They give them money to go eat where they want most of the time. The only time there are team meals is when they are riding but right after games on the road or late at night at motels. Any other time they give them money for meals.
For fans. Easy in and out of complex. Plenty of parking. Reasonable food. Great options. Good views from all seats. Plenty of seating.
The only drawback is see is it is in Alabama and field is huge. But it does prepare them for Omaha.
 
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#19
#19
taylorvol said:
Just curious, what makes it such a well run event? Both from a fans and players/coaches perspective? I’m not disagreeing but just curious as to what makes Hoover Met so special?
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I can’t speak on the player’s / coaches’ perspective. For a fan, parking, tickets, navigation of the complex, things to do aside from baseball and overall the cost, even with gas and hotels, is very reasonable compared to even a Tennessee home game. Plenty of great restaurants and other stuff to do in and around Hoover. If you have young kids, it’s even more fun.
 
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#21
#21
Something you see the first time ya go is what a tradition the whole thing is. All the tailgating, and everybody is by and large, very nice and you can feel the good vibes pretty much from the out set. It really is something to see.

I forgot to mention this above.
 
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#22
#22
99gator said:
I get why it's there.

But, a large part of me hates the fact that it feels like everything is in Alabama. I have always been a big believer that league championships should rotate except for football.

And there are plenty of quality minor league stadiums all across the south.
Click to expand...
I get that, but Alabama is pretty central to the South. Would be harder for people to make it to Missouri or Miami, for example.
 
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#23
#23
I enjoyed my first (and brief time) in Hoover. Great venue and plan on making it a tradition. Lots of friendly fans and even got a foul ball. I made an error since I got both hands on it. Lol. Gave it to a prospective Vol.
 
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#25
#25
I really like the Hoover Met. I've been multiple times and have yet to have a bad time. The folks down there do a good job.

It's very easy to get in and out of the massive parking lots.

You can come and go as you please even after you've scanned your ticket. So you can go out to your car/truck/RV, get a sandwich, drink, (or a beer without paying the stadium prices) or just take a break during a game you may not be terribly interested in.

The parking is free.

Baseball is about more than hitting homeruns.

There's not a bad seat in the facility.

It's affordable to attend a single game, multiple games, or the whole tournament. Even if you buy tickets second hand.

I have stayed at a hotel every time I've been, but I hear an RV is the way to go.
 
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